The apparatus and method of the invention are particularly appropriate for the separation of biological fluids comprising an aqueous component and one or more cellular components. For example, potential uses of the invention include extracting, from a volume of whole blood, a plasma component, a first cellular component including platelets, a second cellular component including mononuclear cells, and a third cellular component including red blood cells and granulocytes.
European patent application EP 1 566 191 describes a method and an apparatus for separating a volume of whole blood into at least two components in accordance with various separation protocols. For example, one protocol provides for the separation of a volume of whole blood into a plasma component, a platelet component, and a red blood cell component. The apparatus comprises a centrifuge adapted to cooperate with various bag sets, in particular a bag set comprising an annular separation bag for whole blood, which is connected to a platelet component bag, a plasma component bag, and a red blood cell component bag. The centrifuge includes:                A rotor for spinning the separation bag and centrifuging the whole blood contained therein, the rotor having a turntable for supporting the separation bag and a central compartment for containing the component bags connected to the separation bag; and        A squeezing system for squeezing the separation bag and causing the transfer of the plasma component from the separation bag into the plasma component bag, of the red blood cell component into the red blood cell component bag and, as the case may be, of the platelet component into the platelet component bag.        